GEORGE TOWN: The government, through the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT), has implemented several initiatives to promote sustainable urbanisation.
Its minister, Nga Kor Ming, said the urban population has exceeded 75 per cent and is projected to reach 85 per cent by 2050, adding that efforts must be made to ensure that urban areas can be developed sustainably.
“On the one hand, urbanisation facilitates easier access to essential services like healthcare and quality education, but on the other, it presents significant issues such as overcrowding and housing affordability, particularly for the younger generation.
“So, how can we ensure that our urban areas are developed sustainably? Firstly, we are rebranding the People Housing Programme to the People Residency Programme (Program Residensi Rakyat, PRR) to empower low-income groups to achieve home ownership—not just any home, but a quality one,“ he said when delivering the opening speech for the Malaysia Urban Forum (MUF) here today.
Besides that, Nga said the PR1MA Housing Programme is designed specifically for middle-income Malaysians with monthly household income ranging from RM2,500 to RM15,000, providing them with affordable housing with world-class facilities, such as Ideal Residency in Penang.
Also present at the ceremony were Penang Island City Council (MBPP) Mayor Datuk A. Rajendran, Advisor on Sustainable Urbanisation to the Government of Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur City Hall Mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif.
Nga pointed out that KPKT is also dedicated to providing MyKiosk stalls by building well-organised, safe and comfortable business spaces equipped with solar power for individuals in the B40 group.
Elaborating, he said this initiative allows them to start their business with the first six months of rent waived, followed by a monthly rent as low as RM150, helping them improve their living standards and alleviating the challenges faced by the urban poor.
The minister noted that every day, Malaysians generate over 39,000 tonnes of solid waste, which is equivalent to about 1.2 kg per person. Thus, to combat this challenge, the ministry has launched the Circular Economy Blueprint in Solid Waste Management, which encompasses five pillars, 20 initiatives, and 61 action plans.
“One of the efforts we are putting in place is to reduce single-use plastics in landfills. Last month, we initiated the No Single-Use Plastic Bag campaign with 17 retailers and three retail associations.
“Additionally, we are exploring innovative solutions to address landfill challenges. In Bandar Tenggara, Johor, for instance, there once stood an 18.7-acre landfill that accumulated over 360,000 tonnes of waste, leading to numerous complaints from the surrounding neighbourhood. We subsequently shut it down and allocated RM23 million to transform the site into a green recreational park,“ he added.
He also mentioned that Malaysia should further explore the concept of smart cities, such as smart traffic management systems that use real-time data to adjust traffic signals, thereby reducing congestion and travel times to help improve transport efficiency and shorten daily commute time.
Nga said the ministry also signed a memorandum of understanding with China to explore potential cooperation in smart housing and urban redevelopment and address critical issues such as global climate change.
MUF 2024, which is being held today until Oct 8, is a collaborative effort between KPKT through its agency Urbanice Malaysia and MBPP, the host city. PR1MA Malaysia Corporation is a major strategic partner.
The forum, themed ‘My City, My Home’, discusses and provides solutions to urban issues and sustainable urban planning. It aims to promote community-centred, sustainable, resilient, and inclusive urbanisation.
Attended by 8,000 local and international participants, the event features various dialogue sessions and discussions as well as the presentation of 100 papers by panellists from different ministries and government agencies, local authorities, industry experts, professional bodies, non-governmental organisations, representatives of residents, and stakeholder groups including women, youth, grassroots, children, and academics.
